As we observe what I will call the Trumpian conservative and white moderate reaction to the current Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests and movement, it helps to contextualize historically the nature of that reaction. When we do, we find that conservative and moderate white reaction is persistently critical of, and unresponsive to, black civil rights and social justice movements. At its worst, such white reaction has amplified the original historical dehumanizing offense against African Americans. In more modern history, the reaction has consistently sought both to deny the claims of black protest and to distort the public impression of social justice movements by identifying them with their worst, excessive manifestations.

Originally published June 14, 2020. Read more at my Medium site.